unfortunately, it doesn't take long for wolves (coyotes, any predator) to learn that domestic animals are MUCH better/easier to kill than wildlife. Once they learn that, there is really no way to break them of it.
Much like bears who start breaking into houses to find food. And, no there really is no 100% way to secure livestock to keep out predators.

Would it have been better if they took the wolves, one by one, and pitted them against a man in a ring, sort of like blood sport? No. It would not. This was not about being a brave hunter or a hearty survivalist. This was about wolves who have learned that cattle are easy prey.

I am not a cattle farmer, but I like beef, milk, and leather products. If the wolves are affecting a rancher's livlihood, I don't have a problem eliminating them.

People want to re-introduce wolves, and they want to re-home critters, but the problem is that when you put critters into an environment, you are displacing other critters and changing the nature of how things work. If these wolves would have stuck with deer, they would be alive today. But calves, steers provide excellent meat and are easier to hunt down, catch, and possibly kill. So the wolves, who are opportunists, found a good food source and that wasn't going to change.

Oh, I understand WHY it had to be done. If I were the rancher, I'd want to protect my herd, as well. I can do without beef, but don't EVEN go after my milk! Leather? I can take it leave it - I prefer diamonds.

In a "perfect" world, there would've been alternatives. Calif has been screaming that it has no wolves. So I say, we should've taken some of the state's $$ they've been wasting & had the wolves brought here. Rather have the 4-legged ones vs some of the 2-legged ones we have....

Would it have been better if they took the wolves, one by one, and pitted them against a man in a ring, sort of like blood sport? No. It would not. This was not about being a brave hunter or a hearty survivalist. This was about wolves who have learned that cattle are easy prey.

I am not a cattle farmer, but I like beef, milk, and leather products. If the wolves are affecting a rancher's livlihood, I don't have a problem eliminating them.

People want to re-introduce wolves, and they want to re-home critters, but the problem is that when you put critters into an environment, you are displacing other critters and changing the nature of how things work. If these wolves would have stuck with deer, they would be alive today. But calves, steers provide excellent meat and are easier to hunt down, catch, and possibly kill. So the wolves, who are opportunists, found a good food source and that wasn't going to change.

It isn't about being brave. It is about protecting livestock.

I'm not sure about the cattle that were killed by the Wedge pack, but a big part of the problem is that cattle are released to roam and graze through "our" national forests. These cattle defecate and trample the banks of what used to be nice trout streams. It is the cattle that are the invasive species competing with and displacing the native species. Allowing cattle in the national forests, the very place where wolves are supposed to recover, is a recipe for failure. I hear hunters whine about the wolves killing all the elk and moose, but where are the best places to hunt elk and moose? The same places that have the highest populations of wolves Alaska, British Columbia, and Alberta.

...but the problem is that when you put critters into an environment, you are displacing other critters and changing the nature of how things work.

The sad thing is, wolves were there before the cattle. By getting rid of wolves and moving in cows, the ones being displaced were wolves and the ones changing the nature of how things worked were humans. It seems a bit unfair to go after wolves, when they were just being wolves. Did they have proof that it was even the wolves doing it...? I've seen plenty of cases where "wolves" taking down cattle wound up being feral dogs, or companion dogs that decided that killing livestock was fun.

I do wish there were better ways of dealing with all of this than killing wolves. I don't know what ranchers do and don't try, but I'd like to believe that there was more than could have been done other than destroying predators we really need.

My friend who breeds Chihuahuas lives in a heavy predation area. She is at an intersection for 2 wolf packs and has never lost a chicken or cow. She keeps 2 GSD on her property that are trained to sleep around the chicken and cow pens. The wolves won't step foot on her property. This did not need to happen.

unfortunately, it doesn't take long for wolves (coyotes, any predator) to learn that domestic animals are MUCH better/easier to kill than wildlife. Once they learn that, there is really no way to break them of it.
Much like bears who start breaking into houses to find food. And, no there really is no 100% way to secure livestock to keep out predators.

I'm agreeing with all this.

I wouldn't have said the same thing a few months ago, but since moving to rural Wyoming I have a muuuch better understanding of what its like to live in a place where humans and wildlife want to occupy the same land. After talking with local Fish & Game guys, yes, of course the first step is to relocate the animal. If it keeps coming back and is considered a threat, it's eventually put down. A bear was recently removed from ranch land nearby for similar reasons.

On the other hand, in defense of the animals, if one is found dead (shot, natural causes, whatever) they autopsy to determine cause and analyze the animal to help determine the heath of the local population.

I think the system is working.

__________________Stefanie

Radio - German Shepherd, born 6/22/12
Cooper - Border collie/corgi, picture a border collie that's been shrunk to corgi proportions

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